About Vision 21

Vision 21 provides a foundation for real change in the role
of victim services.

The Vision 21 initiative is the first comprehensive assessment of the victim assistance field in nearly 15 years. In response to the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report (The Report), $12.5 million has been allocated in the congressional Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, to address the recommendations in The Report.

Vision 21 Solicitations Released in April 2014
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) released several discretionary grant solicitations during April 2014 to provide funding to reach and serve more crime victims and address gaps in capacity and infrastructure in the crime victims’ field. The Vision 21 solicitations are available to download from the OVC Grants Archive.

Opportunity for Real Change in Victim Services
For the first time, OVC will be able to provide operational funding to organizations that serve victims of crime at the national level, as well as American victims of domestic violence and sexual assault who are victimized abroad and on cruise ships. A portion of OVC’s Vision 21 funding will support services and infrastructure to ensure victim assistance is provided to American Indian and Alaska Native crime victims.

OVC will also offer state VOCA administering agencies two competitive funding opportunities to support—

Technology that can upgrade data reporting systems, make services to victims more accessible, support electronic case management, streamline the administrative burden on service providers, and increase their access to online evidence-based training.

Holistic legal assistance for all crime victims through the wraparound network model pioneered by OVC in Fiscal Year 2012, as well as a separate solicitation for a legal assistance technical assistance provider.

Funding Source for New Grants
The new Vision 21 appropriation comes from general tax revenues, not from the Crime Victims Fund. OVC will also use some of its Victims of Crime Act discretionary funding for additional programs to further the Vision 21 recommendations.

These first steps toward implementing Vision 21’s recommendations are the result of the commitment and determined actions of many in the crime victims’ field. OVC will continue working to implement Vision 21. Keep on top of all the news through the OVC Web site, like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.